The three-cable control system disclosed herein is widely used on automobiles for remotely controlling mirrors mounted thereon. One problem which has been experienced in units which employ a ball and socket type of universal mounting between the mirror and the mirror housing is that the mirror is free to rotate in the plane of the mirror, that is, about an axis which is generally parallel to the axes of the cables at their points of attachment to the mirror. This one axis of free movement is undesirable when the mirror is of non-circular shape, such as in the widely employed rectangular shape. Any rotation of the non-circular mirror in its own plane will result in corners of the mirror hitting portions of the protective mirror housing in which the mirror is commonly recessed. Such rotation may be induced by flutter or vibration induced by road irregularities or by slamming of the door on which the mirror is mounted. This condition often leads to binding and interference with free adjustability of the mirror.
The prior art has experimented with a variety of mirror mountings in an attempt to eliminate this problem, as for example, shown in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,598. Another prior art design has employed a pair of widely spaced pin-like projections on the interior of the mirror housing, generally parallel to the control cables, which are received in holes in the mirror backing plate. This configuration has not been entirely satisfactory, because in mirror positions of extreme angular adjustment, one of such pins generally backs out of its hole, leaving the mirror free to rotate in its own plane.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved adjustable mounting means for a remotely controlled mirror which reliably prevents rotation of the mirror in its own plane, without interfering with full adjustment of the mirror about the other two mutually perpendicular axes of rotation.